For martial artists, a fight is something truly exciting.
Bushang ranked third among the dwarves of the Human, Ghost, and God realms and was respectfully known as the Blade Sage, a title he had definitely earned. His Golden-Scaled Heaven and Earth Blade Technique was invincible, unmatched, and rarely challenged even in the Immortal Realm.
“You really like fighting?”
Bailian, the millennium-old female ghost, was slightly taken aback. She could tell this white-haired little dwarf was indeed extraordinary, his immortal energy thick and powerful.
Bushang gripped his blade and raised an eyebrow. “I’ve heard you’re formidable. They say you defeated hundreds of golden immortals guarding the entrance to the Fifth Heaven’s Immortal-Demon Realm. Since we’re both free, how about we spar? For your safety, I’ll keep my blade sheathed.”
Bushang was confident. Facing such an opponent, he dared to keep his sword in its scabbard!
“If that’s the case, I’ll gladly accept your challenge! I promise, I’ll only try to take your blade.”
Without hesitation, the millennium-old ghost Bailian suddenly vanished.
Bushang immediately became fully alert.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, the millennium-old ghost appeared high above Bushang and attacked straight toward his crown.
But the moment Bushang reacted, suddenly seven or eight Bailians appeared around him…
So many at once! Shui Miao and Bulu were stunned, unable to tell which was real and which was fake.
“Got some skills, huh!”
Suddenly, Bushang transformed into a golden light, instantly shattering all the illusions.
Bushang’s speed was terrifyingly fast.
All the illusions were false!
Bailian had hidden somewhere even Bushang couldn’t detect.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, the millennium-old ghost reappeared above Bushang, once again aiming for his crown.
“This one’s fake too!”
Bushang suddenly turned into a golden streak, darting around the room at high speed, swinging his blade rapidly. He looked like a golden spinning top. If not for the blade remaining sheathed, the room might have already been destroyed by the blade’s aura.
Bushang’s greatest strength was his speed, an incredible velocity no ordinary person could even follow.
Since he couldn’t locate her, Bushang resorted to attacking randomly, hoping to graze Bailian. If he did, she would definitely suffer the consequences.
Bailian seemed to vanish completely, as if she had disappeared entirely.
After a while of fruitless effort, Bushang had just stopped when another “whoosh” sounded, and the ghost reappeared above him, using the same move targeting his crown again.
“She’s hiding up there!”
Bushang shouted excitedly, leaping upward and spinning along the ceiling.
Yet he still couldn’t locate Bailian.
After stopping, Bushang grumbled in frustration, “I’m not playing anymore! This isn’t fighting—it’s like playing hide-and-seek!”
“Take this!”
Before Bushang’s words had fully faded, another figure appeared above him.
As Bushang prepared to strike, suddenly a hand emerged from beneath his feet, grabbing his Golden-Scaled Heaven and Earth Blade directly.
“Haha! Now you’ve definitely lost!”
Bushang didn’t panic; instead, he was delighted.
Bailian had used a clever feint and surprise attack, thinking she had succeeded, but she didn’t know Bushang had reached the terrifying realm of unity between man and blade. The Golden-Scaled Heaven and Earth Blade was a rare treasure—if touched, even with her superior concealment techniques, Bushang could easily detect her presence.
“Ahh!”
The moment she touched the Golden-Scaled Heaven and Earth Blade, Bailian felt a sharp pain in her palm, as if she had grabbed a porcupine’s quills. In reality, it was the blade’s spirit retaliating against her.
Caught off guard, Bailian hastily retreated and concealed herself again.
But now, she had already been marked by the blade’s aura. Bushang easily detected its source and immediately launched an attack on the concealed Bailian. Forced to reveal herself, Bailian suddenly produced a pair of golden hammers. However, she clearly wasn’t skilled with such weapons. Under Bushang’s full assault, Bailian was completely defeated.
Bushang pressed the blade against Bailian’s throat and smiled faintly, “You’ve lost!”
Bushang thought the fight was over.
He hadn’t even unsheathed the Golden-Scaled Heaven and Earth Blade. If he had, Bailian would already be dead.
The outcome had been decided. Continuing the fight would just be bullying.
But Bushang didn’t truly understand Bailian. She was never one to easily admit defeat.
Bailian stared at Bushang, her eyes burning, and said slowly, “The real match has just begun…”
“What!?”
Bushang was shocked.
Before he could react, Bailian suddenly vanished again!
Then Bushang began spinning rapidly in place, like a high-speed top.
“How is this possible?”
Seeing Bushang’s strange behavior, Bulu looked at Shui Miao in alarm.
Shui Miao’s mind raced. “It’s the Phantom Mirror! Bushang must have been ensnared by the Phantom Mirror.”
Before Bulu could react, Bailian suddenly appeared before Shui Miao and Bulu, her tone serious as she commanded, “Come with me!”
…
Hearing this, Shui Miao was momentarily stunned.
Now, Shui Miao understood Bailian’s millennium-long emotional entanglement. He knew she was stubborn. Following her would only mean being suppressed and controlled. He wouldn’t be free to do what he wanted, nor could he pursue his own path for avenging his father. Shui Miao felt like an eagle with wings that could fly but never truly soar—he needed to break free from Bailian’s grasp to become his true self.
“No! I don’t want to go with you.”
After a pause, Shui Miao shook his head at Bailian. “I don’t need your favor. What I need is friendship. I must avenge my father in my own way. I’m not him, so please grant me the freedom to choose.”
Shui Miao spoke earnestly; these were his true feelings.
Although his father’s death might be connected to Bailian, Shui Miao bore her no hatred, but neither did he wish to rely on her.
Shui Miao had always been independent, striving constantly to better himself.
He also valued loyalty and righteousness deeply, welcoming many friends, but he had no interest in serving a master who treated him like a subordinate.
“Your father isn’t dead. He merely went to the Immortal Realm.”
Bailian was slightly taken aback.
“In fact, it was you who caused his death.”
Suddenly, a strange male voice rang out, carrying an oppressive, awe-inspiring authority. A dwarf in a purple robe appeared, adorned with an azure dragon pattern. His face was cold, his eyes sharp like an eagle’s, his beard and hair both purple. With a mere wave of his hand, he freed Bushang from the illusion.
“What happened? What technique was that? How did it just disappear…” Bushang exclaimed in confusion as he emerged from the illusion, but upon seeing the purple-robed dwarf, he immediately forgot the fight and ran over, slapping hands with him in laughter. “Second Senior Brother, you’re finally here! Haha, I was just sparring with this millennium-old ghost.”
“Mm, I understand. Let me speak with her first.”
The purple-robed dwarf smiled at Bushang, then nodded kindly toward Shui Miao.
“Who are you? What did you mean by that?”
Bailian, sensing the presence of the purple-robed dwarf, was alarmed to discover an unprecedented and unimaginably powerful unique force within him.
“White Lotus, I am Butcher of Dragons, Bufa, of the dwarves,” the purple-robed dwarf calmly addressed the millennium-old ghost. “Bulu told me that Shui Miao is a generous, righteous man with clear distinctions between gratitude and resentment, a very open-minded person. But he’s been troubled, threatened, and controlled by a millennium-old ghost, living a very unhappy life. So Bulu asked me to investigate your affairs to relieve Shui Miao’s doubts.”
“I sought out Laozi, who explained your thousand-year-old love-hate saga…” At this, Bufa paused, smirking slightly. “Of course, I don’t intend to interfere too much in your affairs. But Shui Miao is my clansman’s brother. I cannot ignore his matters. His father killed the Spirit Commander to help fulfill your wish, repaying your kindness to him. In his haste to improve his cultivation, he neglected the complex struggles of the Immortal Realm, inadvertently offending Huatian Xiong, the senior inner disciple of the Yuxu Sect. Huatian Xiong then convinced Grandmaster Chang to plot and kill Chen Yiren. Chen Yiren died for you. Naturally, you must bear responsibility for his death.”
“Huatian Xiong!”
Shui Miao clenched his fists, repeating the name, imprinting it deeply in his mind.
After hearing this, Bailian shook her head. “I’ll avenge him, but I disagree with your reasoning. I never asked him to take revenge for me. Why should I be held responsible for his death?”
“Ahhh! You!”
Bufa couldn’t help shaking his head in disappointment. “No wonder you can’t ascend to immortality—you’re far too selfish. You only see your own emotions and grudges. Don’t you understand this is karma? By telling Chen Yiren about your hatred, and him feeling indebted to you, you’ve already formed a karmic bond. From the moment you spoke those words of hatred, you’ve already wronged Chen Yiren.”
“How did I wrong him? I treated him well enough. I gave his family wealth and honor, and I gave his son cultivation opportunities. Now that he’s strong, he wants to fly on his own. That’s his betrayal and ingratitude—it’s he who wronged me.” Bailian was hysterical, refusing to listen to Bufa’s reasoning.
Bufa frowned deeply, coldly countering, “Do you want repayment so much that you’d kill Chen Yiren twice? Then control Shui Miao and kill him twice again?”
“What…?”
Bailian was stunned.
Bufa waved his hand dismissively. “Leave. Our dwarven clan despises people like you who only think of themselves.”
Bailian’s selfishness and those words chilled Shui Miao to the bone.
Stepping forward, Shui Miao addressed the elder. “Senior, I don’t value your favor. My father misjudged you, and I feel he was wronged. Now, I want to say that from this moment on, we go our separate ways. If you still feel I owe you something, if you want me to repay you, then please first return my father’s life to me.”
“Fine, fine… Go your separate ways. I’ll see just how far you can go!”
Bailian nodded, her heart stirring as she prepared to leave.
But at that moment, a sudden wind stirred within the room…
Yet Bufa calculated quickly, turning urgently to Bailian. “No good! The true experts from the Yuxu Sect are coming after us!”
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